October 14, 2012 7:01pm EDTOctober 14, 2012 2:32pm EDTDespite his team being whipped by Texas Tech on Saturday, West Virginia QB Geno Smith is still in control of the Heisman race and a game against K-State and QB Collin Klein this week could play big for the eventual winner.

Well, we’ve got a race now. Heisman leader Geno Smith plays for a team with a bad—no, awful—loss on its resume now. If West Virginia lost by 35 at Texas Tech, how many losses might follow?

It wouldn’t seem that Smith (or anyone) could possibly win the award with more than the three defeats Robert Griffin III and Baylor sustained in 2011. Three might even be unsustainable as far as Smith’s candidacy is concerned; the Mountaineers certainly are dealing with higher expectations than the Bears were.

Point is, to repeat: We’ve got a race now. A top five entering Week 8:

1. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

RG3 persevered through a stretch of three losses in four games last season—included consecutive blowouts at Texas A&M (55-28) and Oklahoma State (59-24) in which his production was just so-so. Clearly, Smith can get past this Texas Tech debacle. Question is: Won’t Collin Klein overtake him if K-State wins next weekend in Morgantown?

2. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State

Big plays galore with this guy; most recently, a 67-yard touchdown run as well as scoring passes of 60 and 46 yards in a crazy 52-49 win at Indiana. As we say each week now, the Buckeyes are gunning for 12-0. That wouldn’t get them into the postseason mix, but you can bet it’d give them the Heisman winner … unless, and only unless, WVU or K-State also wins out.

3. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State

This game against Smith and the Mountaineers is the biggest Heisman opportunity any player has had all season. Not even RG3 had such an obvious Heisman situation teed up for him last year. Klein can’t afford a Wildcats loss, though; his numbers just don’t wow enough.

4. Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame

This continues to be a real possibility. The schedule is Te’o’s best friend: Games at Oklahoma and USC will be true Heisman stages. The Irish probably have to go 12-0 for Te’o to win the award, but 11-1 could get him to New York.

Season stats: 59 tackles (9.8 per game), 3 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries.

Next game: vs. BYU on Oct. 20.

5. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Overall, Manziel probably has the best stats of any player in America. If the freshman is able to lead an upset of LSU this weekend, he’ll cement himself into the top five.